PETALING JAYA: Those with chronic or infectious diseases will not be eligible to perform the haj next year under new health requirements set by Saudi Arabia for the 1447H/2026M pilgrimage season.
Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) said Saudi authorities have made it compulsory for all prospective pilgrims to meet the new health conditions before being granted a haj visa.
Key requirements include being free from infectious diseases and serious or uncontrolled chronic conditions and having the physical ability to perform haj rituals independently.
Pilgrims with conditions such as chronic kidney or heart failure, chronic lung or liver disease, cognitive or motor impairments, high-risk pregnancies, active infections, or cancer undergoing treatment will not be eligible to perform haj.
“They must be physically able to perform the haj independently without relying on others.
“Anyone diagnosed with certain health conditions will not qualify to perform the pilgrimage,” it said in a statement.
TH group managing director and chief executive officer Mustakim Mohamad said the safety, welfare and comfort of Malaysian pilgrims has always been the board’s top priority in every haj operation.
“TH takes health aspects of pilgrims very seriously, especially in the Holy Land,” he said.
For the upcoming 1447H/2026 haj season, TH will continue to provide health clinics at all pilgrims’ accommodations in Makkah and Madinah, each equipped with outpatient services and pharmacies operated by Health Ministry personnel.
These clinics will offer outpatient services and pharmacy support managed by qualified medical staff from the Health Ministry to ensure the continuity of healthcare services for Malaysian pilgrims, including assistance for the elderly and those with disabilities.
However, Mustakim said TH would no longer be allowed to operate its own treatment centres in the Holy Land.
Instead, pilgrims requiring further medical care will be referred to hospitals run by the Saudi government with oversight from Malaysian medical specialists.
He advised all prospective pilgrims to prepare themselves physically, as performing the haj demands high endurance under the hot and dusty weather conditions in Saudi Arabia.
